The Executive's Journal

SPECIAL EDITION: FAREWELL TO CHIEF JOHNNY JENNINGS AS NCPEA PRESIDENT 0202 TSUGUA |1 EUSSI

THE Executive's Journal

PREPARE.
ENGAGE.
LEAD.

"Innovation distinguishes between a leader
and a follower."

CONTENTS

04 THE DESK OF THE PRESIDENT
07
A Message from the Outgoing
President

AGENCY OF THE YEAR

Law Enforcement Agency of the Year

08 BURN OUT IN THE RANKS
13
14 Encouraging Resiliency through Peer
16 Support

POLICE EXECUTIVE OF THE YEAR

The 2020 NCPEA Police Executive of
the Year Award

THERAPEUTIC CONSIDERATION

Therapeutic Consideration in Police
Peer Support

WORK PLACE SAFETY

Keeping your Work Place Safe

18 I CAN'T BREATHE
22
24 I can't breathe: What it Means for
Law Enforcement

EXHIBITOR & SPONSORSHIPS

Join us for the 75th North Carolina
Police Executives Conference

BEYOND 30_UNDER_30

Being your own brand

PR

REPARE. ENGAGE. LEAD.

A message from t

THE President

Dear Colleagues,

It has been my honor to serve as your President for the North Carolina Police Executives Association
(NCPEA). To be able to lead one of the finest law enforcement associations in North Carolina is
quite humbling. These are challenging times for law enforcement agencies across the nation and
NCPEA will always be there to represent our profession during adverse times.

Above all, NCPEA, has a strong training focus that was established 74 years ago with the purpose
of specialized education and innovative training needed for a successful career in this
profession. Each year, we have been able to create and foster powerful opportunities to learn and
network with other police executives throughout the state at our annual conference. However, due
to the COVID-19 pandemic, our 74th Annual Conference was canceled as your health was a priority.
We know that we have a real challenge ahead.

The recent unrest in many North Carolina cities due to the death of Mr. Floyd is a painful reminder
to all who strive for justice that significant work remains before us. While the focus is policing, it
will take all of us to develop and implement systemic solutions to build safer, more impartial
communities. NCPEA pledges to take the first step in being an advocate.

4 NCPEA

The North Carolina Police Executives Association has always served a crucial role in the law
enforcement profession within North Carolina. More than ever, the work of the association is
needed. We are already planning to see you as we hit a milestone in celebrating our 75th Annual
NCPEA Conference in 2021 in Wilmington, North Carolina.

Although my role as President is ending, I will continue to serve you as an Executive Board Member
for NCPEA. I know that my colleague and friend Police Chief Chris Blue will lead the association
on a path that supports every agency in North Carolina all while ensuring we are a premier State
for law enforcement across the country. Remember as leaders,we must always be PREPARED,
willing to ENGAGE while LEADING with integrity .

Repsectfully,

Johnny Jennings

Chief Johnny Jennings, Immediate Past President

the Desk of

SAVE THE
DATE

75TH NCPEA ANNUAL CONFERENCE

July 24th-28th, 2021 | Wilmington
Convention Center
Wilmington, North Carolina

LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY OF THE YEAR!

CONGRATULATIONS

TO THE

JACKSONVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT!

YOUR WORK TO FIGHT THE 
OPIOID EPIDEMIC DOES NOT

GO UN-NOTICED.

Burn Out in the Ranks:
Encouraging Resiliency through Peer Support

By: Kenise Sumler, MA
Training Coordinator

Studies have shown that an officer is likely to witness 188 critical incidents throughout
their career (Hilliard, 2019). Exposure to critical incidents is an unavoidable stressor in law
enforcement. While not an exhaustive list, critical incidents can include officer-involved
shootings, hostage situations, active shooter, and natural disasters such as hurricanes and
tornadoes. Critical incidents aren’t considered “traumatic” solely based on the nature of
the scene dictating a law enforcement response. Police psychologist Jack Digliani stated,
“Incidents can be critical-officers can be traumatized” (Digliani, Peer Support and Police
Peer Support Teams).

A situation can become traumatic if the individual experiences some degree of cognitive,
emotional, and psychological discomfort associated with the incident. Most, if not all,
agencies have operational guidelines and policies that demonstrate how to respond after
a critical incident. A debriefing or other administrative meeting is mandated after an incident
along with the necessary paperwork. How do you care for an officer after the mandatory
proceedings have been completed and all the boxes are checked? In most cases, an officer
returns to duty once they’ve been cleared internally; it’s back to business as usual.

Perhaps it’s a little easier to recognize the need for intervention for the officer involved in
a fatal shooting, but what about the officer that’s barely making it through their shift
unbeknownst to others? The daily grind of police work should not be ignored. Burnout can
be defined as a situation of chronic work stress that makes it difficult for workers to perform
their duties and maintain their relationships with others (Talavera-Velasco, Luceno-Moreno,
Martin-Garcia, & Garcia-Albuerne, 2018).

8 NCPEA

Burnout can be characterized by emotional In 2019, an estimated 228 officers
exhaustion and feelings of lack of personal committed suicide, with approximately
accomplishment. Emotional exhaustion can 90% of suicides committed by Caucasian
have a dramatic impact on physical health males (Blue H.E.L.P). These numbers could
while also manifesting in mental and be higher given that some families decline
behavioral symptoms (Talavera-Velasco, to report the cause of death or report it as
Luceno-Moreno, Martin-Garcia, & Garcia- accidental.
Albuerne, 2018). To exclusively attribute
these characteristics to burnout, the The New York Police Department (NYPD), the
symptoms must be a result of one’s work. largest police organization in the United
There should be noticeable differences in an States, declared a mental health crisis after
officer’s work performance and general nine of their police officers committed
attitude in the workplace. suicide (Subramanian, 2019). John Violanti,
a 23-year police veteran, stated, “They see
Policing was ranked the 4th most stressful abused kids, they see dead bodies, they see
job in a study conducted by Time magazine horrible traffic accidents. And what that
(Flavin, 2018). This isn’t a surprising statistic means is that the traumatic events and
given the demanding job of a law stressful events kind of build on one
enforcement officer. Surprisingly, the another” (Subramanian, 2019).
biggest stressor for most police officers is
their work environment. Minimal social A case study conducted with the Charlotte-
support and poor supervision within the Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD)
organization is a major source of stress for revealed a strong peer support program, an
officers (Talavera-Velasco, Luceno-Moreno, on-staff psychologist, chaplaincy program,
Martin-Garcia, & Garcia-Albuerne, 2018). retired officers program, City-based EAP
Enduring high levels of stress have placed service, and other wellness programs (COPS,
officers at higher risk of developing 2019).
cardiovascular diseases as well. The most
troubling problem with burnout is an The PST is a combination of sworn and non-
officer’s inability to cope and/or limited sworn personnel, allowing those in need to have
knowledge of available resources. Sadly, an access to relatable sources of support. Four
officer’s decision to “tough it out” can result members of the PST are involved in a specially
in drastic consequences. developed officer-involved shooting (OIS)
response group. The OIS group members have
More officers died by suicide than in the line been involved in OIS incidents themselves, and
of duty according to a 2018 nationwide received specialized training to assists officers
study. Law enforcement officers are at a after an OIS incident (COPS, 2019). Team
higher risk of suicide than in any other members completed a two-day training prior to
profession. working with officers, and attend quarterly
trainings that address relevant topics in the
The Ruderman Family Foundation reports field. Quarterly training is also a time where PST
that 13 out of every 100,000 die by suicide members can have mental health debriefings to
in the general population. That number assess their own psychological distress. PST
increases to 17 out of 100,000 for police members are not licensed mental health
officers. Blue Help, a Massachusetts-based professionals, and should not be expected to
police suicide prevention group, reported perform in this capacity. The goal is to provide
that 167 officers committed suicide in 2018 an open line of communication and support, and
(Subramanian, 2019). refer individuals to additional resources when
needed.

9 NCPEA

CON'T: BurnoutintheRanks

The greatest barrier to seeking help is the stigma associated with needing it. Shifting the
culture within law enforcement is challenging. Cops are perceived as impenetrable beings
with an ability to withstand the toughest of situations. This simply isn’t true. No one wants
to admit they’re having a tough time in life and risk being deemed “unfit” to do the job.
Support from command level executives is critical to the implementation of any mental
health/wellness initiative. If your top personnel recognize the need and support the cause,
then subordinate officers will be more willing to take advantage of available resources.
Numerous tragedies at the Chicago Police Department spurred a mental health campaign,
which included a video from senior officers sharing their own struggles with mental health
(Subramanian, 2019).

Knowing someone else can relate to your problem and is willing to listen can encourage a
hesitant officer to seek help. This notion is supported by the use of police peer support
teams (PST). Peer support teams are comprised of selected personnel, sworn and non-sworn,
that have been trained in peer support principles and operate under an agency approved
program (Digliani, Peer Support and Police Peer Support Teams). It is recommended that
PST’s are supervised by a licensed mental health professional, but this isn’t always an option
for agencies with limited funding.

Cody Barto, a veteran law enforcement officer battling alcoholism and depression, found himself
struggling to perform on duty (Reiner, 2020). He was late for work, showed up drunk at times, and
received 34 disciplinary infractions within a two-year timeframe. This sounds like a cry for help,
right? As his behavior continued to deteriorate, it resulted in Barto sitting in his living room one
day with his gun, ready to end his life. Fortunately, Barto didn’t commit suicide, but he did end up
losing his job and checking into a rehab facility. He believes he became optimistic about recovery
once he talked with others about his problems and they could relate to his issues – a peer support
group (Reiner, 2020). Peer support is not a quick fix to an agency’s mental wellness issues, but it
can serves as the starting point to address a bigger problem. Bottom line: police work isn’t getting
any easier and it never will be. As our society continues to change, there will be a host of new issues
that law enforcement will have to address. Don’t leave your personnel to fend for themselves. The
silent battle one is fighting is too difficult to fight alone.

“If somebody says they need help, don’t be matter of fact, and don’t brush them off. The hardest
part is making the first call. Sometimes we just need to talk. People need to remember we’re not
perfect. We’re human.” – Anonymous officer with the Chicago Police Department (Bair & Czink,
2019).

Anonymous. (2019, November 13). "Each one stings": Officer opens up about mental health struggles, suicides within CPD. (D. Bair, Interviewer)
Bair, D., & Czink, K. (2019, November 13). "Each one stings": Officer opens up about mental health struggles, suicides within CPD. Retrieved from https://wgntv.com/2019/11/13/each-one-stings-
officer-opens-up-about-mental-health-struggles-suicides-within-cpd/
Blue H.E.L.P. (n.d.). Law Enforcement Suicide Statistics. Retrieved from https://bluehelp.org/service/statistics/
Copple, C., Copple, J., Drake, J., Joyce, N., Robinson, M.-J., Smoot, S., . . . Villasenor, R. (2019). Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Programs: Eleven Case Studies. Washington: Office of
Community Oriented Policing Services.
COPS. (2019). Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Programs: Eleven Case Studies.
Daviss, B. (1982). Burn Out- "No One Can Imagine What the Costs Really Are". Police Magazine, 5(3), 9-11, 14-18.
Digliani, J. (2018, March 15). Police Peer Support: Does it work? Retrieved from https://www.lawenforcementtoday.com/police-peer-support-work/
Digliani, J. (n.d.). Peer Support and Police Peer Support Teams. Retrieved from https://www.jackdigliani.com/index.html
Flavin, B. (2018, May 14). Police Stress: 9 Tips for Avoiding Officer Burnout. Retrieved from https://www.rasmussen.edu/degrees/justice-studies/blog/police-stress/
Hilliard, J. (2019, September 14). New Study Shows Police at Highest Risk for Suicide of Any Profession. Retrieved from https://www.addictioncenter.com/news/2019/09/police-at-highest-risk-
for-suicide-than-any-profession/
National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund. (n.d.). Law Enforcement Facts. Retrieved from National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund: https://nleomf.org/facts-figures/law-enforcement-
facts
Police Executive Research Forum. (2019). The Workforce Crisis, and What Police Agencies Are Doing About It. Washington.
Reiner, A. (2020, January 17). "Law enforcement health crisis': Peer support brough local officer back from the brink. Retrieved from https://www.northcentralpa.com/features/on-the-pulse/law-
enforcement-health-crisis-peer-support-brought-local-officer-back/article_46867dc4-3944-11ea-8cb0-3b50bfbc9be2.html
Subramanian, C. (2019, September 3). The 'code of silence' killing US police officers. Retrieved from https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-49503972
Talavera-Velasco, B., Luceno-Moreno, L., Martin-Garcia, J., & Garcia-Albuerne, Y. (2018). Psychosocial Risk Factors, Burnout and Hardy PErsonality as Variables Associated with Mental Health in Police
Officers. Frontiers in Psychology, 9, 1478. doi:https://dx.doi.org/10.3389%2Ffpsyg.2018.01478
US Fire Administration. (2019, August 8). Preventing Suicide Among First Responders. Retrieved from https://www.usfa.fema.gov/operations/infograms/080819.html

NCPEA 10

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NCPEA 12

THERAPEUTIC CONSIDERATIONS
IN POLICE PEER SUPPORT

By Barry Toone & Ken Wallentine

Police officers are exposed to wide-ranging trauma that, when bottled up indefinitely, can lead to
mental health issues, physical ailments and even suicide. Cops consume pain daily, but don’t
often share that pain with others. Often, officers will hold themselves to the idea that they must
be emotionally “tough” at all times. They feel that sharing pain is a sign of weakness. The truth
is everyone experiences mental health struggles – even people who do not consistently face
potentially traumatic experiences on a regular basis.

Contrary to popular belief, simply being a police officer does not inherently increase one’s risk of
suicide, PTSD or any other mental health issue. However, just like anyone, many officers do
struggle with emotional or mental health at some point during their careers. Studies have shown
that generalized suicide prevention training is ineffective at helping officers manage these
issues—but what is effective is peer support.

Police peer support aims to help facilitate targeted intervention with at-risk individuals. Providing
the right resources and encouraging treatment for these individuals has been proven to be
effective and efficient at serving police officers in need.

The Goal of Police Peer Support
Peer support is not in competition with other forms of wellness assistance. It can act as one
facet of treatment alongside professional counseling, group therapy or medical treatment. The
ultimate goal of peer support programs is to provide officers with emotional and tangible support
in times of crisis. Officers will be equipped to handle their problems and will be directed toward
resources to get them the help they need.

Police peer support works because it creates a connection between the officer in crisis and their
colleagues. This connection is what leads to the healing. The officers build trust within the
program and can openly share the pain they are experiencing. Peer support team members will
ideally be trained on how to handle conversations and respond to different scenarios.

Structuring Peer Support Teams
The structure of a police peer support team often comes down to department budget or size.
While the Clinical Supervisor Model is recommended, some form of peer support is better than
no peer support. Here are three common models:

1. Team Coordinator Model—This model, while not ideal, can be used in agencies where
there is little to no funding for peer support. In the Team Coordinator Model, there is no
involvement from a licensed mental health professional. This is limiting to the capabilities
of the program as officers are left to make decisions on their own without professional

www.lexipol.com | 844-312-9500 | [email protected]

13 NCPEA

consultation. Instead, an officer is appointed as peer support team coordinator and peer
support team members follow agency policy and guidelines.
2. Clinical Advisor Model—This model serves as an effective middle-ground that utilizes
licensed mental health professionals as advisors to peer support team members. This
allows team members to receive training, preparing them to adequately support other
officers. The Clinical Advisor Model will typically involve a contract between the agency
or department with the clinician who advises the peer support team.
3. Clinical Supervisor Model—While it’s the most expensive structure, the Clinical
Supervisor Model is widely preferred. This structure involves a licensed mental health
professional acting as an advisor for and accepting referrals from peer support team
members. The main difference here is that the clinician will provide direct counseling to
agency employees and families without a referral. The inclusion of this clinician helps to
equip team members effectively and provide complementary treatment for officers
alongside peer support.

Take stock of where your agency falls and what kind of peer support program you can apply.
While it may be tempting to devote resources to other priorities, the importance and impact of
peer support is clear.

To learn about the legal considerations that need to be made when establishing a peer support
program in your department, view our on-demand webinar: Law Enforcement Peer Support:
Therapeutic & Legal Considerations.

BARRY TOONE is the co-founder, CEO and general counsel of Stepstone
Connect, a company that maintains a network of trauma-trained clinicians
throughout the United States that serves law enforcement agencies and fire
departments. Stepstone provides wide-ranging mental, emotional, behavioral
and health services using secure, online HIPAA-compliant technology.

KEN WALLENTINE is the Chief of the West Jordan (Utah) Police Department
and former Chief of Law Enforcement for the Utah Attorney General. He has
served over three decades in public safety, is a legal expert and editor of
Xiphos, a monthly national criminal procedure newsletter. He is a member of
the Board of Directors of the Institute for the Prevention of In-Custody Death
and serves as a use of force consultant in state and federal criminal and civil
litigation across the nation.

www.lexipol.com | 844-312-9500 | [email protected]

NCPEA 14

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16 NCPEA

Keep Our
Workplace Safe!

Practice good hygiene Limit meetings
and non-
Stop hand shakes and use non-contact essential travels
greeting methods
Use video conferencing instead
Clean hands at the door and schedule of face-to-face meetings
regular hand washing reminders
When video calls are not
Disinfect surfaces like doorknobs, possible, hold your meetings
tables, and desks regularly in well-ventilated rooms
and spaces
Avoid touching your face and cover
your coughs and sneezes Suspend all
non-essential
Increase ventilation by opening travels and
windows or adjusting air conditioning trips

Stay home if... Take care of your
emotional and
You are feeling sick mental well-being
You have a sick
family member at Outbreaks are a stressful and
home anxious time for everyone. 

SOURCE: CDC.GOV

I Can’t Breathe: What It Means for Law Enforcement

By Brian Casey

Breathing is somewhat complex and, in some ways, counterintuitive. The
skills needed to assess and treat breathing problems are therefore generally
beyond what an officer would normally be taught or expected to understand.
To do so would require additional focused training on the anatomy and
physiology of the respiratory system. But in this article I’ll describe some of the
critical rudiments.

Recent events show us the importance for law enforcement to recognize and
manage breathing problems. I was a paramedic for 20 years before I became
a police officer, so I cringe when I hear officers say, “If you can talk, you can
breathe.” But this belief is not uncommon nor is it limited to the uneducated.
Recently an officer friend of mine, who I consider to be super smart and
competent asked, “He’s talking, so what’s the problem?”

Dangerous misunderstandings about breathing may include:

• A small amount of air movement or an occasional breath is enough for
adequate respiration
• Being able to talk means the person is adequately breathing
• A subdued subject is a compliant subject (when in fact they might be dying
or deceased)

The following information should provide an enhanced understanding of how
breathing works, which is vital to good police work.

How Breathing Works

Breathing involves both ventilation and respiration. Ventilation is air movement
in and out of the lungs or chest. Respiration is a gas exchange. The two
gases are oxygen and carbon dioxide. Ventilation and respiration work
together to accomplish what commonly think of as breathing.

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18 NCPEA

Ventilation

With ventilation, air moves in and out of the lungs due to pressure changes
inside the chest. The two actions are inhalation or exhalation. We inhale and
exhale. During inhalation the intercostal muscles, which are small muscles
attached to the ribs, and the diaphragm, which is a large flat muscle, contract.

I cringe when I hear officers say, “If you
can talk, you can breathe.”

The muscle contractions cause the ribs to change angle and the diaphragm to
move down, which expands the chest and the lungs. The result is a decrease
or negative pressure in the chest—air gets sucked in. So as the chest gets
larger, it pulls the lungs along with it, stretches them out and expands them.
With exhalation, all these actions are reversed in the sense that those
muscles relax, the ribs return to their normal position and the diaphragm
moves up. This results in the chest becoming smaller, so the pressure in the
chest increases and air gets pushed out.

Respiration

Respiration involves the exchange of gases at the alveoli and the capillaries.
Respiration, unlike ventilation, is a tiny process that occurs at the cellular level
and involves two gases and two tiny structures. The two gases are oxygen
(O2) and carbon dioxide (CO2), and the two structures are the alveoli and the
capillaries.

Oxygen can be thought of as the good air or fresh air. Carbon dioxide can be
thought of as waste air. The alveoli are part of the lungs and part of the air
stream. Alveoli are small, thin-walled, balloon-like air sacs located at the outer
portion or branches of the lungs. The capillaries are part of the bloodstream;
these small, thin-walled mesh of blood vessels are located all over the body
where arteries and veins transition into and from each other.

The respiratory system is trying to get oxygen to the bloodstream to be
delivered to the rest of the body and get carbon dioxide to the air stream to be
breathed out. Again, breathing involves both ventilation and respiration. With
ventilation we move air via inhalation and exhalation; with respiration we
exchange two gases, oxygen and carbon dioxide, at the site where the alveoli

www.lexipol.com | 844-312-9500 | [email protected]

NCPEA 19

Cont: I Can't Breathe: What is Mean for Law Enforcement

and the capillaries meet. Ventilation is a big mechanical process; respiration is
a tiny chemical process.

Talking vs. Breathing

For talking to occur, air must move past the larynx or voice box in the throat.
For respiration to occur, air must move to and from the alveoli deep in the
lungs. You may have noticed that people who are short of breath can only
speak in short sentences, one or two words at a time. Talking requires that air
get down to the voice box, a relatively short distance, and breathing requires
that air get down into the lungs.

Breathing is shown, left. Talking is shown,
right.

Sometimes people state that they can’t breathe—maybe you have said this to
yourself after exertion. That sensation can be the brain receiving signals that it
does not have enough oxygen or there is too much carbon dioxide in the
blood. In some situations, this feeling can continue because there is some
unknown medical problem going on, despite an open and clear airway.

www.lexipol.com | 844-312-9500 | [email protected]

20 NCPEA

Summary

Adequate breathing requires both ventilation and respiration at the appropriate
rate, depth and air quality, and allowing for good ventilation (air movement)
will aid in good respiration. Additionally, we must know that talking may not
necessarily equal adequate breathing. Protecting people from harm includes
understanding how breathing works.
My next article will cover elements of normal and abnormal breathing, and
how to recognize and respond to breathing problems.

" Talking requires that
air get down to the
voice box, a relatively
short distance, and
breathing requires
that air get down into
the lungs."

Brian Casey is a police sergeant, author of Good Cop, Good Cop, and host of the CopThink
Podcast. Visit GoodCopGoodCop.com for more information

www.lexipol.com | 844-312-9500 | [email protected]

NCPEA 21

NORTH CAROLINA POLICE
EXECUTIVES ASSOCIATION

EXHIBITOR AND
SPONSORSHIP
PACKAGES.

We are pleased to discuss
customized sponsorship and
recognition opportunities that meet
your individual needs. Please
contact us at [email protected] for
more information, and view the
prospectus for further details about
sponsorship and exhibitor levels.

North Carolina Police Executives Association

2020-2021 Executive Officers
President Police Chief Chris Blue (CHP)
1st Vice President Assistant Chief Alejandra Sotelo (WPD)
2nd Vice President- Captain Todd Joyce (FPD)
3rd Vice President- Assistant Chief Estella Patterson (CMPD)
Secretary /Treasurer: Deputy Chief James Avens (ECPD)
2020-2021 Executive Board Members

Director Robert Schurmeier (NC SBI)
Police Chief Johnny Jennings (CMPD)

Police Chief Penny Dunn (DPD)
Police Chief Toussaint Summers (NBPD)

Police Chief Phil Harris (BPD)
Assistant Police Chief Natoshia Miles (WSPD)

Major Joseph Cotton (NC SHP)
Lieutenant Joseph Graziano (WBPD)

6 BOAT and PLANE

#Beyond_30_in 30!

By: Assistant Chief James Nolette, Fayetteville Police Department

In today’s world branding of an organization has In a recent article, branding expert Kevin
become second nature and many agencies Stimpson was quoted as saying, “Having a
spend millions of dollar annually to ensure that personal brand is important for an entrepreneur
the right message and right image is portrayed. because now more than ever, it’s important for
It initially began in the consumer world but it CEO’s and founders of companies/brands to come
has evolved to the world of law enforcement out to the forefront and connect with their
agencies. In an article written in 2014 it was audiences” (Basu, 2019). This is no different for
said, “A law enforcement brand…should CEO’s of law enforcement organizations.
emotionally connect and engage current
officers, attract potential employees who will In order to build a successful self-brand, you must
be a good fit, turn away those who will not, and be authentic to who you are. You are not trying
energize residents and businesses within the to build a better you that does not exist but you
community” (Phibbs & Tait, 2014). should be highlighting the person you are. Pia
Silva, author, speaker, and consultant, stated,
As society changes and the development and “You want to find the special thing that is YOU
normalcy of social media as a form of and make your brand all about that. You can’t
communication has pushed for an immediate make it up, it has to be real (though it can and
response, the transition from organizational probably should be a little exaggerated)” (Basu,
branding to individual branding in law 2019). Once you have identified the person you
enforcement has become more and more are and your personal goals, values and message,
prevalent. Police executive personal social you must identify your target audience. You must
branding is as important to an organization’s ask yourself, who are you trying to reach? Are you
success as the organization’s branding itself. trying to reach the community, employees, future
employees, or someone else?
As a police executive, what does your brand say
about you and who you are? How do you develop You must also realize that not everyone is going
an image of who you are that is not fake or a to be receptive of this style and not everyone is
façade but a true outward image of who you are going to supportive. Not everyone is meant to be
as a person and as a leader. If you are not honest a customer or a client. If your sole purpose is to
with the brand you portray then the message be liked by the members of your organization,
will be more than obviously false. Others who then you will likely attract no one within the
will view it will see it for what it is and recognize organization. Amanda Bond, ad strategist, said it
that it is just a wall or a public image and not a well, “To have a strong personal brand, you have
reflection of you. If you are true to who you are to stand for something, believe in a certain way
the image that is presented to the public simply of doing things, and proudly communicate those
an extension of what your heart, mind, and beliefs from your platform” (Basu, 2019). How do
mouth express. Your personal brand you now plan on disseminating that message to
differentiates you from others in a similar your identified audience?
position but it also is what draws others to you.
If you are unable to connect with the public you By building a community of followers who are
serve and the employees you represent, the engaged in your word and engaged in the
message that you are trying to express will be message that you are trying to express, you then
lost. People connect with people. will begin to identify how your message is shared
within that community and beyond.
24 NCPEA

It has been a common practice that an The final step is to get out and be visible. You
organizational website has been the main source cannot hide behind a computer screen, you must
for all the amazing police work that is completed be in the community, with officers, being a visible
and therefore it is also the only source of leader who is will to have face-to-face
branding for a police chief. In many conversations and sometime tough talks with
organizations, the departmental web site and people You cannot be afraid of public speaking
social media sites has become a self-branding and you must realize that none of this is done
tool for the chief of police and executives which alone. Kathy Klotz-Guest, author of Stop Boring
has a counter effect within the organization Me!, stated, “A strong brand to me means that
because the focus is on the CEO and not on the your message is identifiable. When you have
amazing work being done by those people on something you are known for, it lessens the
the streets. As an executive, self-promotion and perceived competition. That’s huge!” (Basu,
self-branding is just that of one’s self and should 2019). If you are an introvert and struggle with
be done on your social media with a link back to small talk start a campaign through social media
the organization's main sites. that holds you accountable to meet 30 people in
30 days and maybe call it “30 in 30”. Maybe the
Mark A. Lack, the founder and CEO of Shorten The local media will pick it up and run an article.
Gap, stated “A strong personal brand is one that Regardless of what your message is, there is one
has a high level of impact, which then leads to consistency in today's police executive’s world,
influence amongst the people who follow you. “Branding is important to police careers. Branding
The key is to leverage social media and other should not be confused with ‘sucking up’ or being
social platforms and environments to create a ‘fair-haired individual.’ Branding should be used
relevant and meaningful dialogues between you to focus your career efforts. Branding is
and the people you want to impact” (Basu, 2019). important; it represents career survival and is
You have realized that only you can sell you. You important for success” (mstiehm, 2012).
have identified the authentic you that you are
selling. You have recognized you audience that Basu, T. (2019). How to Build a Personal Brand (Complete Guide to Personal Branding).
you are trying to reach and who will perpetuate Retrieved January 20, 2020, from www.thinkific.com: https://www.thinkific.com/
the motion of your brand. You have now begun blog/personal-branding-guide/
to leverage social media and outlets you have mstiehm. (2012, January 26). Law Enforcement Today. Retrieved from www.
control over as to how that message is being lawenforcementtoday.com: https://www.lawenforcementtoday.com/branding-
shared. you/
Phibbs, W. M., & Tait, F. A. (2014, February 4). FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin. Retrieved
January 27, 2020, from leb.fbi.gov: https://leb.fbi.gov/articles/perspective/
perspective-taking-ownership-of-the-local-law-enforcement-brand

NCPEA 25

Executive Editor: Tammy Pippen
NORTH CAROLINA POLICE EXECUTIVES ASSOCIATION